Hello,
I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with insulin pumps for young children (5 and under). My husband is getting one very soon (next month) and I was considering getting one for my daughter this year before kindergarten starts so we can get a handle on pumping over the summer. My daughter and husband have been "diabetes buddies" since they were both diagnosed at approximately the same time, in 2006, and they are used to taking the same kinds of insulin and using the same brand monitors, testing strips, lancets, etc... I know people who have children who started pumping at age 3, but I am still not sure that my (soon-to-be) 5 year old is quite ready, even though she is very smart and has a relatively good understanding of diabetes. She will have a nurse at her school that will actually give her the boluses when needed and we will take care of the boluses at home, so we don't have to worry about her controlling the pump just yet.
I have gotten so used to insulin injections and I am very comfortable with the level of control that we have achieved with injections, but I know people claim to feel like they have a new lease on life once they switch to pumping. I want my child to have that feeling as soon as it is safe and feasible.
I just want to do what is best for my daughter. I would really appreciate it if anyone can help me weigh this out.
Thank you.
I am a teacher by trade, and I taught a 6 year old with an insulin pump, and I have to say that as his teacher I was apprehensive, but it was just as his mother said, it does give them so much freedom, and they feel like one of the other children. It allowed him to go through the day without worrying as much about what he was doing, and what he was eating. He loved it, and so did his mother.
I don't have children with diabetes and have no experience with the pumps. My husband is Type 1 diabetic and still doesn't have the pump (despite my nagging :) He has some concerns with it). However, we both think that if you plan on getting the pump for your daughter, it would be better for her to have it before school starts, so that she learns (and the school learns) to handle it from the beginning, and it's just part of her and the other students won't pay much attention after the first week or so. It would be an easier transition than, say, trying to get used to it in 2nd grade, where classmates might tease her, making the transition more difficult.
It's nice, however, that she and her dad can be "buddies" and work through this together!
my daughter was just dx with type one on feb. 5 of this year and is going on her animas 2020 pump may 1st ...we have had the pump for about 2 weeks at home to play with and have actually hooked it up to myself and my fiance with saline for practice and it seems like it will be a really great thing for us ...she needs such small doses sometimes and has such sensitivets especially at night that this seems like the perfect fit for her ...and the thought of not having to give 4-5 shots a day is nice also ...her d educator recomended this pump because it gives one of the smallest doses if needed and has settings where you can put in several differant doses for all the didfferant times of day ...also another foreum that helps me allot that has lots of diabetes parents on there all the time with instant help is ...http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/ ......there are so many supportive parents on there that pump and have d or have children with d...hope this helped good luck
My daughter (now 6) started using the pump when she was 3, just 4 months after being diagnosed. It has made a HUGE difference! NOt only is it MUCH more tolerable than shots (I used to have to physically restrain her to give her shots) - it makes it much easier to control her blood sugars. I was concerned about how she would feel about wearing it all the time, but that has not been a problem at all. Please feel free to e-mail me and we can talk if you have more questions.
Hi, My cousin has had a pump for several years now. Would you like her contact information?
Hi...I am diabetic and have been for 28 years! I recently went on the pump (2 years ago) and it's been fantastic! I can eat whenever I want and pretty much whatever I want. I have A LOT more freedom. When I was you daughter's age and I went to birthday parties I always had to pass on the cake and other goodies. With a pump your daughter will not have to do this. I think it would be great to go ahead and get her on the pump and get her use to it over the summer. Best of luck!
I have a now 16 year old cousin who has had diabetes since she was 2, and she's been wearing a pump for a long time with good results. My understanding is that it helps keep insulin steadier than injections. Until she was probably 12 she would consult with her parents about what number to put in, like "did you have 2 pieces of pizza, and milk? That's ______" or whatever. I often wondered what she did when she was away from them. When I would babysit her, we would call her parents to ask what number to use, though I suppose I could have learned the formula easily enough. The only problem I really remember her having is once when she went swimming with some friends, disconnected her pump, and forgot to hook it back up for hours and hours. And of course the other kids parents were clueless, and her parents were pretty upset. I would think that if there is a real nurse at your daughter's school who knows what she's doing and that your daughter's teachers and anyone else who cares for her knows what to do with the pump and if you teach your daughter how to care for it, she should be OK. It may be one of those things where you go in and talk to her whole class and explain what it is to all of the kids so that they all know not to touch it or pull on her, etc. Your daughter will have to wear it on her pants, basically, all the time, so think about whether or not she could handle that. Good luck.
I have been on the pump for almost a year. I now tell everyone I see that is on shots to get a pump. My pump has made me able to restore things that I had thought I had lost FOREVER. I feel so much better because I am getting a more consistent flow of insulin. My only worry would be about how much knowledge the nurse has. She needs to know how to count carbs. As well as knowing how to work it. So, bottom line in my view is why do you not have them on the pump yet? <GRIN>
All I know is my friend's son has one, he is grown now, and he absolutely loves it.
My neighbor's son was diagnosed with Diabetes when he was 3. He started on an insulin pump last year before he went to kindergarten and is doing great. Contact the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation for more info...
